Three Hundred and Seventy Three
by Dinorider15
Summary: It's often easier to write about our feelings than it is to talk about them. Aang is no exception, unfortunately destiny has other plans regarding what happens to these feelings once they're written down.


It's that time of the year again, time to feel extra lonely. But hey, I got you guys don't I? No? Okay never mind. What I can do whilst I sit here alone is write about people who aren't! In this story Aang and Katara are not together but fate has other plans. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

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Aang stared down at the blank piece of paper, groaning in frustration. For the past few hours he had been trying and failing to put together a letter about his feelings. Unfortunately his brain didn't seem to want to cooperate and so his bin was filled to the brim with his repeated attempts. Saving the world, pssh no problem. Getting a girl to like you? Impossible.

It had been weeks since the end of the war and it seemed as though everyone was at peace except him. All he wanted was a clear answer, if that meant rejection then at least he knew he never had a chance. So here he was, pouring his heart out onto paper on Valentine's day in a last ditch effort to win her heart.

After attempt #373 he sighed scrunching it up into a ball and tossing it into the bin behind him. When he didn't hear the sound of it landing he frowned, turning around to see Momo holding the letter in his hand looking confused.

He chuckled lightly walking over to Momo and petting him lightly on the head "Sorry buddy. That's not for you" he apologised reaching to grasp the paper. Momo pulled his hands back out of Aang's reach. Aang once again tried to grab it but Momo just leapt out of the way. "Come on Momo, you can't have that! It's really personal"

Momo jumped into the air extending his wings ready to fly. Aang once again missed him and fell flat on the floor. Momo escaped out of the window as Aang went for his glider "Oh no you don't" he said following the lemur outside. He caught sight of him a few houses away and rushed after him. He was alongside Momo, weaving past the chimneys whilst keeping an eye on the animal "Please Momo, I'll give you a nice fruit pie?" Aang pleaded before Momo dove down into the crowded streets.

Determined to catch him Aang pursued, flying over crowds and past the stalls of the market. Accelerating Aang made a jump for Momo extending his arm out to get his tail. "Gotcha!" he said triumphantly, failing to notice the cart moving in front of them. He looked up and screamed before colliding into the cart and landing in the dirt.

"My Cabbages!" the vendor cried with his hands held up dramatically. Momo was sitting on top of Aang's head, the letter no longer in his hands. Aang looked in front of him to see the letter lying on the ground a few feet away, right in front of… Oh. His body went rigid, panic washing over him as he watched a pair of tanned hands reach down to pick up the piece of paper on the floor.

Aang wasn't going to hang around to see her response and took off with his glider leaving a stunned Katara looking into the sky with wide eyes.

Back at the Jasmine Dragon Aang was pacing around the room he was staying in trying not to panic. "Okay so she read it. Big deal, that's why you wrote it anyway" he said to himself nonchalantly. "But that wasn't even one of the better ones! Spirits she's gonna hate me. She is going to completely-"

"Love it" a voice interrupted from the doorway.

Aang jumped turning around to see Sokka in the doorway "What?" he asked startled.

"I overheard you talking to yourself. You wrote Katara a letter huh?" Sokka said casually.

"Wha- and you're okay with that?" Aang questioned incredulously.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" he asked returning Aang's confused expression.

"Because you're… you know. Her brother" he said shuffling nervously.

Sokka continued to stare blankly at Aang "I don't understand."

Aang shook his head in disbelief "Yes, I wrote Katara a letter. I just didn't expect her to read it."

"I didn't expect Katara to be so stupid" Sokka laughed "But she managed it. I thought I was supposed to be the dumb one."

Aang frowned slightly "Katara isn't stupid, she's the wisest person I know."

"Exactly! Here you are saying stuff like- like that! And she doesn't do a thing. It's hilarious."

"So you're saying that I'm right? That she doesn't care about me?" Aang said with a defeated sigh.

Sokka simply laughed "No you're missing the point. That's the reason it's so funny. Whilst she's busy completely missing everything you do your busy missing everything she does."

"I find that hard to believe" Aang said with a bitter laugh "Now do you mind? I'd rather be alone."

Sokka's expression softened as he placed a hand on Aang's shoulder causing him to turn and face him "Aang, I know Katara. I know her laugh, I know her smile and I know that they're normally because of you" he reassured "She really likes you. Maybe she doesn't even know it, but I do."

Aang couldn't help but smile "Thanks Sokka. I think I really needed that."

"Anytime buddy. Go get her" he said patting him on the back. With a smile on his face Aang was about to exit before he heard Sokka calling after him.

"Yeah Sokka?"

"Please don't be too gross. Toph is bad enough I don't need to see Katara swapping spit with you all the time as well" he said shuddering and causing Aang to turn beetroot red.

A while later Aang found Katara out on the balcony of the Jasmine Dragon overlooking the city. He took a deep breath before approaching her slowly.

"Hi… Katara"

She didn't respond, her gaze still fixed on the horizon. Aang sighed before reaching into his pocket and pulling out an envelope.

"Look what happened earlier… I didn't want you to find out like that. So I wrote you a new one" he explained shyly holding it out in front of him. She turned to him, looking at the paper in his hand which she took tentatively, opening it up. Aang bit his lip as he watched her eyes glide over the writing. When she finished reading it she just stared at the words for a few seconds before folding it back up. They stood there in silence for a moment, Aang's trepidation building with every passing second.

"Dance with me" she blurted out suddenly, blushing profusely.

"Wha- what?" Aang choked out.

"I uh asked you to dance with me" she muttered nervously "If you want to of course. I mean you don't have to if you don't-"

"I'll dance with you" he interrupted.

Katara smiled causing Aang's heart to sky rocket. They bowed and repeated the dance they had from the firenation cave, spinning through the air gracefully before ending with the dip just as they had before. However, this time Aang slipped on a loose pebble on the floor causing him to collapse and Katara to fall on top of him. She blinked in surprise as Aang stared back wide eyed. Then in a second her lips were on his, eliciting a squeal from the startled airbender. When Aang finally regained his wits he returned the kiss until they eventually broke apart panting. She stood up offering him a hand which he graciously took.

"Aang"

"Yeah?"

"I kind of well… I really like you too" she admitted.

Aang couldn't stop a grin spreading across his face like wildfire, as if she had said the most amazing thing in the world "You have no idea how happy that makes me to hear you say that."

She beamed back at him and laced her fingers with his "I think I have a rough idea."

They stood there for a while, just enjoying each other's company and watching the sun set on the horizon before a mischievous grin appeared on his lips "You up for another dance?"

"Absolutely."

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Holy guacamole talk about cutting it close. I told you I'd get a valentine's oneshot out and I did. Now watch it get like zero views. Anyways let me know if you liked it or if you didn't. Either works. Not much else to say really. Toodaloo.

Good day.


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